"Mum? Can I ask you a favor?"

"Yes my Angel, what's it?" She looked passionately into my eyes.

"It'll really mean a lot to me.. Promise me you'll do it."

"I want you to wake me if Uncle Ahmad comes back from work."

"Why? What's it?" She quirked an eyebrow.

"I really need to see him today. It would mean a lot to me and if you don't, I might get worse tomorrow." I made a cat's face but it seems the wasn't ready to fall for it.

Mum knelt before my bed and cupped my mouth.

"Don't talk bad about yourself, don't you wish to get better?"

"I'm sorry mum, But it's so important. You wouldn't understand..." I looked away, not ready to be persuaded either.

"I'll wake you up okay. Rest now, you can watch your "Disney junior" later when you're awake, okay?"

"Okay mummy." I smiled with a big weight of relief on my face

She placed a soft kiss on my forehead before leaving.

                       ****

11:00 P.M...

Mum came to my room sitting at the edge of my bed.

"Meerah." She whispered in my ear like a gentle breeze telling nature a secret. "It's not right to visit strangers at night. We aren't wiches, are we?"

I blushed at her question and she wore a frown as if she was trying to say "What is funny?"

"We aren't witches mum, but please... I need to see him tonight. Perhaps, Dad... I mean Uncle Ahmad  isn't a stranger."

You're so stubborn. I wonder whom you took after?

I stared at her in a funny smize. As if I was saying "Who else bitch you, mum." She blushed at my expression and cuddled me like an angel that I was.

"Okay, fine." A chill of happiness immediately sprang through me. "Let's go and see Uncle Ahmad, but..."

I waited impatiently to hear whatever she wanted to add to it.

"We'll only spend thirty minutes and come back home. I mustn't reminded you, when I wink at you once, well come back home immediately. Okay?"

"Okay mum" I replied lazily.

I was more than excited that she finally agreed.

Mum had Elham when I was six. Even though we didn't have the same father, I loved and treated her like we did... I cared for her like the pupil in my eyes. At least, I was here big sister. Ever since when I was little, All I wanted was to protect Elham with all of me.

She was a sweet baby, than I was
so I promised myself to love and cherish her.

My mom promised to give what she wasn’t able to get.

Hadiza sat in on her old sofa and continued studying an history textbook when Ahmad knocked.

"Assalam 'Alaikum... Is anyone in?" A deep voice sounded at her door.

Hadiza placed the page on the arm of the sofa and went to answer the person.

Two months later....

My mom was feeling feverish so she went to a hospital. A pregnancy tests was carried out on her and it was positive.

My mother gave birth to another baby girl and named her Elham.

She kept waiting for Zamil but he never came. She opened another small shop at the front of our house where she sold provision.